Gun Range Review

So I went to "The Firing Line" shooting range in Burbank, CA today with a few of my friends.

We get there and are greeted with a "whatever" attitude. The guy asks for our IDs and we happily provide. The snootily tell us that we need to have gun handling experience to shoot there, of which only I had in the group.

I oblige to a gun safety handling test. He takes out a Glock 19 and tell me to load two snap caps. I do. He then chambers a round and tells me to safely unload the weapon. I take the weapon, point it in a safe direction (floor), remove the mag, unchamber a round, lock the slide back, and put the weapon on the glass table.

The guy takes about 10 seconds, looks around to his partner and stays quiet. I then ask him whether he will instruct my friends in safe gun handling or should I. He tells me that I failed the safety test. Apparently I pointed the muzzle at him when picking up the gun. I remember no such thing.

The basic gun safety tenets are ingraved into my brain:

1. Never point the weapon at anything you do not intend to destroy.
2. Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire.
3. Always know your target and what is behind it.
4. Always keep the weapon pointed downrange.

I did everything fine. He was nitpicking. It was obvious he didn't want us to shoot there, as it was accord with his snobby, inclusive attitude.

That's terrible. There are two pistol ranges withing about 20 minutes of my house. Both of them are run by relatively friendly people and their prices are pretty good too. I hope you find a better place to shoot soon.